The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-01-07
SUGGESTIONS OF GAMBLERS.
1sacing Men Who VIII Not Bet at Ger
tain Times-Lucky and UnIucky
Days.

1sacing Men Who VIII Not Bet at Ger
tain Times-Lucky and UnIucky
Days.
Sporting men are noted as being the
most superstitious persons. Those who
bet on horses are all more or less in
fuenced by certain events which they
look upon as omens of good or i'll luck.
All these signs they eagerly look for.
and are influenced by them on the way
they place their money on the steeds
whose chances they favor.
mo, I'm not betting to-day" was
the reply of one of the turfmen, in an
swer to an inquiry from another of his
ilk whether he had bought any pools
on the races.
"Bustedp" was another laconic in
quiry.
mo, but I laced one of my shoes:
up wrong this morning. It's bad
sign. III let them alone to-day"
"Are you superstitiouse"
Il frankly confess that am" he re-
piled. as he lit cigar, "and don't
know of sporting man or gambler
that is not superstitious. and furthermore
do not believe there is a human being
who is not. OF course, some are more
50 than others; but take gamblers and
horsemen as a class and you will find
that each one has his peculiar quiip:
Now, this morning l laced my shoe
up wrong. If had left it that way it
would have been lucky day for me,
but did not unlaced it, and I'll bet
two to one if bought pool on a
horse he would break his neck before
he came under the string"
That's quite interesting. Would
you mind giving me some OF your ex-
perienccp What do you consider
lucky omen?"
You want to know what consider
lucky omen ehp That's Just az the
idea strikes me. / used to count white
horses. Surprising that was standing
at the corner of Broadway and Wall
street. I'd take out my watch, when l.
had one, and time myself and count the
number of white horses that turned in-
to Wall street from Broadway in five
minutes. Iwould sometimes 60 on the
odd numbers and sometimes on the
even, Like this: II made up my
mind on even horses and an even num-
Der went by during the five minutes.
then 1 would be lucky, andvice versa"
'.I've heard of gamblers visiting for
tune-tellers for tips. Did you ever Wis
it themp"
MANY q. time sir. Here's an in
stance. I'm red-hot republican, and
at the time of the presidential cam
paign was backing Blaine for all I was
worth, when went one day to see a i
fortune-teller. Says she: You have
been making foolish bets; 60 and bet
the other way all that you have-all
the money that you can beg or borrow
I told her I was betting on Blaine and
she said Wait Then she went into
another room and came out in about a
minute. Cleveland will be elected as
sure as you sit there in that chair. but
he will never serve his term out That
was paralizer, but took stock in it,
for she never fooled me in her life.
hedged and bet on Grover on her ac-
count, and made $4,000 clear above my
hedges, and off Kelly, the bookmaker.
Here's another instance from the Same
woman. 1 had been playing in hard
luck, till had only $12 left. Invent
to her and told her how was fixed,
and that / wanted tip on the races.
She told me to read the names of the
horses. I did SO, and when I got
through the list she said: 'Tilford is the
one I am sure of; bet on Tilford. l
went down to the track. and when the
horses went to the post there were only
four tickets sold on Tilford. THIS was
bonanza, You know. il he won.
bonrht oae $5-ticks.- The track was
regular duck.pond; slush up To the
horses knees. Tilford came III last.
Oh, Iforgot he was entered in two
races that day. The next race he was
in / heard that Mike DAILY, his owner.
wanted to scratch him, but the judges
would not have ii. This wasn't very
encouraging, but ! stuck, to him and !.
put my last flyer on him. His jockey
famed, him with. every jump, and ,
brought him in a. winner by two
lengths. I got five hundred and odd
dollars for my ticket So-much for for d.
,tune-tellers' tips. Some fortune-tellcrs
are snide, but take those chat are edu-
Gated or have it born naturally in them,
and they get there, asa general rule. ~
"You gamble on cards, do your"
10, yes, make my living as sport
ing MANI" n -.....
"Does your superstition affect you in.
playing cardsp"
+, Eyes, indeed. If l am going to play
cards for money always hunt up .
beggar and give him some money for
luck. I have walked sometimes two
miles to find a beggar. I know gam,
bier who goes daily to an Italian on
Green street, who has three little cana
ries that tell fortunes by pulling an
envelope out of pack. He always
follows the advice of the bird, and
have actually seen him shed tears over
some of the slips he got not from
grief, but from vexation, if it, went
against his grain"
Il have had gamblers tell me that
they had acquired the habit of trying
their luck in different WAYS, but claim.
it's not habit; it's nature, born in q.
man, and itnever GENES out Why, l.
know dozens of people who laugh at
superstition that will have a regular
case of the dumps if they see the new
moon over their right shoulder for the.
first time They think if they see it
over the Left shoulder and make wisk,
they will get their wish. "-Ne,o York;
Mail and Express.